Trials of A Ranger
by Schakdonar
Summary: Having graduated from the Ranger Cadet program, Grey has set out to build his team into a fighting force capable of keeping the rampaging monsters entrenched in Cerulean Cave at bay. Heeding the advice of his old Ranger Master to "use your head as something other than a hat rack", Grey does his best to survive during his journey through Kanto.
1. Chapter 1

**Prelude:**

On the evening of my fifth birthday Mom finally announced it was time to go to the Ranger cabin. I grabbed a notebook and pencil before following her out the door. I asked her rapid fire questions as we walked towards the edge of town, wanting to know everything about the other kids and the Ranger Master. It was the first Cadet meeting for the newly chartered Pallet town, and the parents had decided once all of the children had turned five we should start our education and wilderness training. Not only were we the last family to move to town but my birthday was the latest in the year, so everyone else had to wait on me.

We had moved to Pallet along with four other families who had approached Professor Oak about founding the town on the frontier. He had been idly speaking with his son about getting away from the big city for years, needing some time to work in peace apart from the regulations implemented by his workplace, Silph Co., so that he could work on interest projects instead of meeting company demands. The discussion had been put on hold when all active Navy were deployed to combat a sudden boom in population of wild sea monsters.

Countless families said goodbye to their loved ones as they departed, determined to battle the rampaging hordes back into the depths. They fought bravely, at great cost. Nearly all those who served were lost.

Suddenly worried about the future of his fatherless grandchild, Oak offered to take his widowed daughter-in-law away from the city. They would start again in a new town, far from any reminder of the lives they had once known.

We left Saffron with seven of his aides, five mothers, their children, and ten trainers to protect them us the creatures lurking in the wilderness. These brave men were veterans and Rangers who had faced horrors of the sea, sky, and land. Their minds had been warped by the battlefield and they longed for the simplicity of a rustic lifestyle with the simple job of protecting women and children.

While it was the duty of the Navy to protect us from the sea, the Rangers were a force trained in the necessary skills to keep routes between towns safe for travelers and traders, enabling cities to share resources. All citizens of Kanto were given the choice to join either force upon their eighteenth birthday, but without training the chances of survival were minimal. Professor Oak had guaranteed the training we would need, and offered us an escape from conscription into the Navy.

Mom expertly dodged all of my questions, saying I should try to get to know everyone on my own. She dropped me off at the cabin on the outskirts of town. It was a small, one room log house with a single smokestack jutting out of the side of the building. Mom had told me the Ranger Master kept it warm with a cast iron stove. The cabin looked like something from a history book compared to the rest of the houses in Pallet which had been built in modern styles, filling the town with a handful of identical buildings. Aside from the Ranger cabin the only other unique structure was Professor Oak's lab.

The walk from home did not take long, the town had been named after the joke that all of its construction materials could fit on a single pallet, but every step closer to the edge of town brought waves of anticipation, excitement, and dread. I was experiencing a range of conflicting emotions about meeting my fellow cadets and the Ranger Master. Mom had told me his years of service in the Navy had molded him into a powerful trainer, and it was his job to keep this part of the town safe from the monsters in the woods. Since Pallet town was too small and far away from civilization to have a formal Pokemon School, the retired veteran had volunteered to teach the local kids survival techniques.

My mother hugged me goodbye, making sure not to embarrass me in front of what would hopefully be my new friends. I opened the door and saw that I was the last to arrive, the seats around the table being occupied by several other students my age.

Almost immediately I was assaulted by a boy with a seemingly calculated mess of brown hair. "Hiya, I'm Gary Oak," he said, shoving out his hand in greeting. Trying to figure out why that name was so familiar, it took a second to realize he was attempting to initiate a handshake. I reached out only to grasp at air as his hand shot back into his pockets.

"Wow, what a slowpoke!" The rest of the kids laughed and my face burned in shame. Gary's smile broadened and he raced back to his seat at the front of the room next to a black haired kid wearing a red jacket much too large for his size, leaving me to make my way to one of the last available stools in the back of the room.

I passed the middle seats, occupied by a grinning blonde girl and a brown haired girl who stared suspiciously at me as I walked by. I took a moment to look around the room and saw it was packed full of supplies, tools, and pelts.

I made it to the last row of stools, sat, and turned to see a grizzled, leathery man standing at the front of the room. His face was blank aside from raised eyebrows; the only sign he had witnessed the exchange between Gary and me. He waited a moment more before speaking. "My name is Garry Maple-" he was instantly cut off by a loud groan from the boy who had just introduced himself.

"Ah, you must be the Oak boy," he said. "And I supposed you assumed you would be the only Gary in the class. Well, buck up, because I don't give a lick what your name is or whose grandson you are." _Grandson?_ I thought, _Oh, this must be Professor Oak's grandson_!

"In fact," Garry continued, "I don't care what any of your names are. It is my task to teach you how not to die out in the wild, but in case you don't listen to what I have to say and get yourselves killed, I am going to start out by not getting attached. You will not be my friends. I will not risk my life or limb to save you. I will not even attempt to learn your names. From this point on," he paused to fetch a backpack from the corner of the room, setting it on the lectern in the front of the room, "you will be known by me and by your fellow cadets as the color of hat you wear."

"I'll take a gold one," Gary interjected, "'cause that is the color of winners."

"You will take what I give you," responded Garry. "Here you go," he handed the outspoken child a blue hat. He walked through the room passing out a red hat to the black haired boy, and yellow and green hats to the girls. He then approached my desk in the back of the small room and passed me a grey cap out of the bag.

The ranger then walked back to the front of the room, reached into the backpack, and withdrew an orange hat which he set on the lectern before setting his backpack down. "And this," he said, gesturing to the hat, "would have been Cadet Orange."

"For the rest of your training under my command I want you to remember his name above all else. Cadet Orange represents every fool kid who goes out into the wilderness and gets himself killed. For any reason. Lack of knowledge can be a cause of death as certainly as being trampled by a herd of Tauros, or hugging a Nidoran. The world of Pokemon is a dangerous place, and I won't let you forget it."

(o)|/-\|(o)

 **The Expedition:**

I thought back to the first day of Ranger Cadets fondly as we stood at attention, waiting for Garry to finish inspecting our packs so we could be approved for our final expedition. If we were successful today, upon our return we would graduate from the Cadet program and become full fledged Rangers.

It had been thirteen grueling years of intensive survival training, but under Garry's watchful eye we had learned quickly. He was currently inspecting each pack, even though the trained Growlithe currently resting in the pokeball on his bandolier was perfectly capable of quickly completing the task. He paused at Blue's pack and, as had only rarely happened in the past, looked up at the young man with a hint of surprise flickering across his features.

"Cadet Blue, mind explaining why you have a can of coffee grounds taking up precious space in your survival pack?"

Blue answered, with a smirk, "To enhance awareness in the early morning, giving me the edge during our tracking exercise."

Garry shook his head and moved onto the next pack in the line, Yellow's. _Coffee,_ I nearly shook my head in disgust. The price of shipping it all the way out here would have covered two weeks of rations and a weatherproof jacket.

The professor was known to have it brought in while working on especially time critical projects, but even then it was only as an extreme measure. Having that kind of edge was always the type of advantage Blue was trying to get over all of us. He had to be the best, and would do whatever it took to hold that title. Yet no matter what he did or what kinds of tricks he pulled, Red was always on his heels which infuriated him to no end and was a source of eternal amusement for the rest of us.

Yellow grounded them in her innate ability to be a source of purity and happiness. Green managed to never stand out in any aspect of our training. She somehow always scored perfectly average on every test, but I saw the way she was closely observing everyone at all times and couldn't shake the feeling that every move she made was calculated.

I drifted out of my reverie just in time for Garry to finish pack inspection and turn to address the line of potential graduates. "You are the first lot to complete my training, and this final test will prove whether you are worthy of graduating the Cadets or not. Your task is to catch your first pokemon. And to do it alone. If you manage to survive and return to Pallet with your new partner, the Professor will inspect the quality of the monster and we will enter you into the database as official Rangers." He paused to stare each of us down. "Be smart out there," he said before turning, dismissing us.

We picked up our packs and I wordlessly met each Cadet's gaze, mentally wishing them well. Blue only smirked back before turning up his nose and flaring his nostrils, somehow silently managing to communicate his chosen catchphrase.

Red stared him down, waiting for some acknowledgement of a challenge. Blue met his eyes and the two bolted off, both attempting to be the first to catch a pokemon. Yellow waved at their disappearing forms and I looked for Green, but she was already gone. _How did she do that?_ I wondered before Yellow and I split off onto our predetermined paths.

The rules of the challenge required each of us submitted a trail plan for Garry's review. It allowed him to ensure we would not be crossing paths during the expedition. And, as he said, was "An easier way to track down the approximate position of our bodies" should we fail to return.

None of us knew the other's chosen trail, but it was a safe assumption the others would be heading toward the woods near Viridian. I had opted to scout the river which flowed out of the southern part of Pallet town into Route 21.

Garry had met with Professor Oak and convinced him to release several rare breeds of pokemon into the untamed areas surrounding Pallet, upping the ante for the Ranger Trial. Our goal became not to capture the first Pokemon we encountered, but a challenge to see who could survive long enough without the safety of a Pokemon companion to return with the most rare monster.

Upon learning of this development I immediately started planning to explore every possible nearby body of water. Ranger Rule number one of survival strategies is to always have a source of fresh water. With a water pokemon at my side, I would have that base covered. And, on the off chance the Professor had released a rare water type for this occasion, it would most likely be wandering around on this path.

I approached the heavy, rarely used gates on the south of Pallet and saw the burly, squat form of the guard on duty and knew it to be was Mike Dogwood. I showed him my official Ranger documentation and watched as his dark eyes carefully reviewed every line of the form.

Like most of Pallet's guards he was another veteran who served in the war with Garry. While he knew the Cadets were scheduled to leave on our solo expedition today he still carefully read over each line of the writ in silence, the deepening of the lines in his ruddy face indicating the idea of letting me go outside the protective city walls on my own.

His time as a trainer and and active service had showed him every possible danger in the world and it was his sworn duty to protect the residents of the small settlement. His own exposure to poison gas in the battlefield had left his lungs and vocal chords badly scarred, leaving him rendered mute.

When he got to Garry's signature and the Ranger seal at the bottom of the page, he paused. Mike had not served with Garry during the war, but knew him from work around town.

After a moment's deliberation, the guard lifted the thick timber used as a barricade and opened the gate. "Be careful, monsters live in the tall grass and lurk just under the surface of the water," he warned, his voice strained and oddly flat. I froze for a moment before graciously thanking him for his warning and assuring him I would be careful. No one had heard him speak the entire time he had lived in Pallet. For him to possess the incredible force of will to overcome his injury was astounding and instilled the importance of his warning.

I had been hearing the mothers and guards talk about the Cadet solo expedition when they thought we were out of earshot for months. They were uneasy. We were the first Cadets to be raised in Pallet, and even though they all knew Garry they feared our training would be lacking. But we Cadets were determined to prove our worth and show the world that our small, newly constructed town had raised the best trainers in the region.

I passed through the gate and made it to the slow moving river in good time, managing to arrive at my first checkpoint before mid-afternoon. I decided to take a brief rest, breaking out some trail rations for a quick meal. If I continued at this pace I should be able to make it to a point where the river ran deeper, making fishing for meals a viable option. I kept observing the nearby landscape as I ate, remembering Garry's motto, "Never let your guard down. Whether you're eatin', sleepin', shittin', or fuckin', those are the times when you are the most likely to earn the Orange Cadet hat."

After eating I packed away the food trash and covered up any crumbs left behind. I didn't want to leave any easily traceable trail for a Ratata to follow. I continued on the path, taking care to watch my steps along the riverbank. I paused, freezing in place as a Pidgeotto swooped down, snagging an unlucky Magikarp out of the river. _That is probably a sign of a good stopping point for the day._ I started unpacking my bags, laying out supplies, and setting up camp. After the fire pit was prepared, tent erected, latrine dug, and fishing pole assembled, I started to relax a little.

The first task was to boil some water. I knew the river flowing out of the little town was mostly clean, but it was a good habit to make sure you were always drinking clean water. Then I assembled my trusty fishing rod, cast out the line, and waited.

I pulled my cap low over my eyes as the sun began to set. I wasn't worried about not catching anything today. It would be nice, but I was still a long way from getting sick of eating trail food. Just as I was about to reel in the line for the night, I saw the bobber drop. I braced myself and waited.

I had elected to bring a good rod on this trip rather than the old one I used as a child, and the water types I might catch could prove to be dangerous at this point in the journey. I could deal with a Magikarp, if it was not too large, but anything else and I might have to cut the line. The end of the rod began to pull down and I started reel in slowly. With a splash, my prey revealed itself to be a small Magikarp. I sighed in relief and started working the Pokemon closer to shore, getting it close enough to pull onto the riverbank.

A short time later, after cleaning the fish and burying the remains, I had fresh fillet roasting over the fire. I ate greedily before taking some time to relax with a full stomach by the warm fire. Just before sunset I let the fire burn low before finally putting it out, preventing the mesmerizing blaze from attracting unwelcome monsters in the night. I crawled into my tent, zipped up the sleeping bag, and promptly fell asleep.

A scrabbling sound outside of my tent woke me with a start, I clutched at the heavy flashlight and extendable baton I had left sitting at strategic places inside of the tent. Bracing myself, I tried to calm my breathing and listen.

The sounds of the river flowing filled the night. An occasional bird would cry out in the distance, too far away to be an immediate threat. The scratching continued and I froze, wracking my mind in an attempt to identify the threat. Generally the Pokemon seen in this area were water types, but it was possible for something to have wandered away from it's nest to explore.

I carefully extracted myself from my sleeping bag, crawled forward, and unzipped the tent almost completely. If something was out there, I did not want to be trapped in the tent. There was a small possibility I could dive past it but if that was my only hope of surviving an attack, I would take it. I clicked on the flashlight and a high powered beam shot out, illuminating the grass around my campfire. Frozen in the beam was a Rattata, caught in the act of digging through the fire pit. It's eyes glowed as they reflected the beam, then it bolted off into the night.

I slept uneasily for the rest of the night, dreaming of the purple rats gnawing through my tent lining and sinking their unbreakable pincers into my unwilling flesh, my screams failing to reach the sleeping ears in the nearby town. The most frequently repeated ending for Cadet Orange was by underestimating the rodents and letting a swarm of the creatures overcome them in the night.

When daybreak finally came I was glad to find that aside from the weariness of a poor night's rest, I managed to survive the first night. I slowly started to pack up camp, building up speed as the actions helped erode the haze of sleep. I took a moment to inspect the remains of the fire pit to see if I had left anything that would attract the Rattata, but I was unable to find any remnants of my dinner left in the area. _Maybe, due to their proximity to Pallet, they have learned to associate fires with food._ I shuddered at the thought but made a mental note to be more careful about fire pits in the future.

I set out again, snacking on trail rations, wary of any movement in my peripheral vision. I wondered how the rest of the Cadets were doing. I bet Blue and Red would be expertly tracking every rare Pokemon in the area with inhuman speed, their drive to surpass each other fueling them to achieve incredible goals. They had proved their skills to the Ranger Master time and time again, managing to constantly impress the hardened veteran. If anyone could not only survive the wild on their own but also manage to bag a rare monster, it was them.

Yellow would be taking her time, enjoying her trek into the forest and making the most of every moment to bond with the nature around her. She had a way with Pokemon that unnerved me in it's simplicity. For whatever reason monsters seemed to be able to sense the gentleness within her. An Ekans once crept into our camp during a group expedition, Garry later claimed he allowed the creature to approach without raising alarm to see how we would react, and while Red was the first to notice it, Yellow was the first to respond. She just raised her palms and slowly approached the snake, offering her portion of cooked Rattata to the monster. Ekans took the bait and left. From that day forward Yellow refused to eat the meat of living creatures, relying entirely on foraging to sustain her.

I tried to think of what Green would be doing but it was hard to guess how she would tackle this challenge alone. She had always taken a passive approach to every obstacle, waiting for someone else to find a solution first. I sincerely hoped she would not be struggling, but it was possible that she was having a hard time. However, Garry had approved her for the solo expedition. It was either a sign that he saw something in her none of the rest of us noticed or, as he constantly reminded us, we were "attached to me like a pile of Taurus dung and I will do whatever it takes to scrape you off my boots".

Lost in my thoughts, I did not notice the subtle changes in scenery. I nearly missed the low growl that signaled the possibility of an imminent death.

Before assessing the scene I reflexively drew the extendable baton from its loop at my belt with my right hand and took a defensive stance. I lowered my center of gravity and whipped the weapon back, readying an attack if needed and holding my left arm out to absorb any incoming blow.

It was exactly the wrong thing to do. Before I could blink a blur launched itself at me, clamping down on the arm I barely managed to put between it and my throat. Fighting through the pain I managed to finally get a look at my attacker. A Rattata was latched onto my forearm, furiously scratching at the exposed flesh while its powerful jaws clamped down, moments away from breaking my arm. I had managed to twist my arm in the milliseconds before the attack, resulting in the creature working to break my radius and ulna separately rather than snap through both bones in a single bite.

I could feel a creaking in my bones had seconds to break its hold before its teeth met in the middle of my forearm. Without thinking I whipped the tip of the baton forward and, using every ounce of strength, drove the rigid object directly into the monster's nose, driving the rod deep in its nostril in an attempt to repel the Pokemon from me. It's jaws loosened and the Rattata fell to the ground, sneezing and shaking, trying to rid itself of the horrible feeling of having something shoved deep into its nasal cavity.

It recovered rapidly, dislodging the object and quickly resuming its attack but by then I was ready. With my left arm I freed and uncapped the pepper spray from my belt and launched a stinging stream directly into the Rattata's eyes, nose, and open mouth. It screeched and dashed off into the tall grass, running away from me at top speed.

I worked quickly, tearing into my pack and hurriedly opening my first aid kit. Wincing at the further pain of an antiseptic spray, I quickly evaluated my wounds. The rodent had left tiny tears in a perfect bite shaped pattern on either side of my forearm. While appearing insignificant, I could tell that they were deep cuts and possibly damaged the bone. I uncapped a bottle of fast drying adhesive and spread it over each mark and then tightly wrapped my forearm in a self adhering bandage.

The immediate danger passed, I felt the adrenaline pumping through my veins lessen, leaving me feeling weak and drained. I fought off the shock, knowing I still needed to investigate the scene. While Rattata have been known to attack humans they typically only resort to such aggression in defense. Either a nest of young or a food source would be nearby,both of which indicated the possibility of more monsters in the area.

I cleaned and collapsed my baton as I evaluated my surroundings. Not two steps away lay a Poliwag on it's back. At first glance, aside from the blood, the little creature appeared to be fine. The translucent skin of it's belly showing the dark swirls of the creature's underlying organs. But for this poor Poliwag the blood around it's stomach told a different story. Deep scratches showed where the Rattata had torn through its belly. I sighed, thinking of how difficult it would be to dig a grave for the water Pokemon with an injured arm; I did not want its remains to draw attention to my trail. I began packing away the med kit when I heard a soft cry.

With a start, I looked up and saw that the Poliwag was still alive, slowly writhing in pain. I rushed to its side and without thinking began to inspect its wounds with more care. I uncapped my water bottle, setting it beside the injured Pokemon while hurriedly unpacking my sewing kit. I stitched its stomach back together with lightening speed, time seeming to slow and my hands moved smoothly through each motion as I worked.

I paused incrementally to pour some of the clean water from my bottle over the Poliwag to prevent it from drying out. Hoping it was stabilized enough, I unclipped the lone empty pokeball from my belt and tapped it to the Poliwag's side. Red light poured from the ball, encompassing the monster and drawing it in. I looked at the closed ball and waited. The light built into the release button turned a solid grey, indicating the captured Pokemon was unconscious but stable. I breathed a sigh of relief.

The weight of my actions came crashing into the forefront of my mind. I had just caught my first Pokemon! It needed serious medical attention, but I was sure Professor Oak's rapid healing table could easily handle the work. Now that I had completed my task, I would need to return to Pallet to finalize my graduation from the Cadets and get my first Ranger assignment. More importantly, I needed to quickly leave before Rattata recovered and returned to finish me off. I turned and increased the speed of my hike, determined not to stop until I reached Pallet.

(o)|/-\|(o)

 **The Return:**

It was not long before my banging on the gate alerted the guard to my presence. The noise shattered the peace of the night, and was quickly followed by a creaking of the door.

Mike's frame appeared in the doorframe for a moment before abruptly pulling me inside the gate and slamming the door shut. The light from a blinding lantern flicked on as the ranger inspected me for wounds, believing I had cut my trip short due to an attack. He saw the bandages on my forearm and gripped my good arm, steering me toward Professor Oak's lab. He clicked the radio at his hip twice, notifying the guards that someone needed to take over his post. The long hike back to town had taken its toll, and I did not have the energy to strike you a conversation with Mike during the short walk to the lab.

One of the Professor's aides, a tall lanky man in a white lab coat with shortly cropped black hair met us at the door. He peered at us for a moment with calculating black eyes behind large spectacles before noting my exhausted features, bandaged arm, and the agitated guard at my side before rushing us off to the small medical wing of the lab. As soon as he had me on the examination table he pulled out a small tape recorder, clicked a button, and started rapid firing information into it.

"Tuesday. 1 a.m. Patent is Cadet Grey, returning from solo excursion second day in. Self adhering bandages applied to patient's left forearm." He paused for a moment, gesturing for me to lift my arm as he cocked his head to the side, questioning.

"A wild Rattata bit me before I was able to fend it off. I cleaned and sealed the wound using a travel med kit," I replied in an attempt to mimic the aide's clinical tone.

"Subject will require blood tests if wild Pokemon attack broke the skin to ensure no passage of disease to Patient." He spoke as he unwrapped the bandage. Deep purple bruising had appeared around the afflicted area.

"Bite marks appear to have been successfully sterilized and sealed. Removal of glue at this stage likely to reopen wounds, interrupting healing process. Inability to inspect damaged area closer reaffirms need to take blood sample for further inspection." He clicked the tape recorder again and walked to a cabinet, retrieving the necessary supplies.

While taking the sample I told the aide about Poliwag's condition, and he assured me that the laboratories healing tools would be able to mend the Pokemon's injuries. "Leave the Poliwag with me, I will trend to it and process your blood overnight. Be here at 8am to pick up your Pokemon and get your test results. For now, go home and get some sleep."

"Thanks Andy," I said as he wound a fresh bandage over my arm and then escorted me out of the lab. Mike joined me in the short walk home where I thanked him too before sneaking upstairs to my room and falling asleep the instant my head hit the pillow.

I woke with the sun, jumping out of bed and taking a quick shower to wash away the weariness of the short night's sleep. I hurried down to the kitchen and began bustling about, preparing a surprise breakfast for my mother.

Ever since we moved to Pallet it had always been just the two of us, my mother shied away from having household Pokemon like Red's Mr. Mime. It left a lot of chores to split between two people and considering my mother would not expect me home for at least a week, I thought I could do this one small thing for her. She would probably wake just as I needed to leave so I left a note with the plate of eggs and toast explaining I was back from the trip and would likely be spending the morning in the lab.

I left my pack behind, keeping only the standard items from on their pouches on my belt: baton, knife, flashlight, and mace. I arrived early and was greeted by a weary looking Andy. He ushered me into the medical lab where he removed a clipboard from a shelf and started reviewing the computer printout after clicking the tape recorded which he kept on him at all times. "The blood work from Patient Grey showed negative signs of being infected by disease from a wild Rattata bite. Will provide recommendations for care of the wound."

With a gesture he lead me over to a large machine the size of a table, with a screen providing a medical readout on the wall. It had a highly technical display of Poliwag's status with numbers and changing graphs.

"The wild Poliwag brought in had severe lacerations across its abdominal region. The Pokemon was temporarily removed from the Pokeball's stasis field so that its stitching could be evaluated."

Andy paused to look from the charts to me for a moment, and nodded in appreciation before continuing, "Wounds had been properly sealed. However, due to severity of injury and lack of the Pokeball scanning the Poliwag in a healthy state, the rapid healing table was unable to restore the Pokemon to perfect condition."

"As a result the Poliwag will have permanent scarring on its abdomen. It also appears to have a slight fever due to microscopic life forms attached to the Pokemon, presumably transferred during the attack. As Grey does not experience the same phenomenon, it is possible this is an inter-species Pokemon virus incapable of transferring to humans. I have taken a blood sample for later studies."

Removing the Pokeball from the table and handing it to me he said, "Now, you better hurry to Lab entrance, or you will be late."

"Late for what?" I asked. The only scheduled event I had was this meeting with Andy. I suppose that with a town as small as Pallet it was possible word had spread of my early return, but that seemed far fetched.

"Were you not aware? The Professor is doing his appraisals of the Pokemon caught during the Ranger trials. You were the last to return."

Still clutching the Pokeball I ran out of the lab at top speed, throwing open the door to find the rest of the Cadets standing in a ring around Professor Oak. I caught the last of the conversation just as the door opened.

"Do we have to wait for him? I could have my Ranger assignment and be halfway to Viridian-" Blue had been saying before Oak cut him off.

"Ah, here he is now. Cadet Grey, if you would please join your colleagues," Oak spoke as he gestured for me to join the ring. "You have all proved yourselves to be exemplary students, returning from your quest after only a single day, and all of you unharmed and victorious." I felt the rest of the troupe glancing at my bandaged arm, knowing they would not miss a beat. In turn, I scanned them. They all appeared to be in perfect health.

"As I am sure you are aware, at Garry's behest I released several rare Pokemon before you left on your excursions. He believed your tracking abilities would allow you to notice the anomalies in the signs left by the local wildlife, which would prevent any of my hard earned Pokemon from escaping. I was, of course, willing to let you choose your own starters but that is not the Ranger way of doing things. Now, let's see how you did. Red, you were the first to return, let us begin with you."

Red detached a Pokeball from his belt and, smiling, pressed the release button. Scarlet light poured down to the grass and deposited a blue quadrupedal creature with a large green bulb growing on its back. "I noticed his tracks the moment I left Pallet's walls and found him rooting around in a patch of wild flowers. He was defensive at first but after I helped him find the worms he had been looking for he allowed me to approach and capture him."

"And what care is required for your new partner?" Oak asked.

A large part of our education had been supplemented by hours in his lab, tending to his Pokemon and assisting in his research. We had spent untold hours logging statistics and data into digital forms, and recording details of a variety of species of Pokemon. The Professor constantly received reports of Pokemon behavior and documented abilities and we assisted him by sorting through those papers and weeding out bogus or falsified stories. However, due to the incredible power of the monsters which inhabit Kanto, very few proved to be inaccurate.

"Exposure to sunlight and careful pruning are necessary to ensure healthy growth. Minimizing the time spent inside of a Pokeball is recommended. As omnivore, Bulbasaur can survive on a steady diet of either vegetation or meat, however it had been noted that eating only meat leads to aggression in the species."

"Excellent," responded the Professor who had turned to his grandson the moment Red finished speaking "And now, Gary," he said much more sternly, "explain yourself." I nearly flinched at the harshness in his voice. The Professor was known for his jovial nature and for him to express such frustration must mean Blue had done something notably asenine.

All eyes turned to his smug expression and relaxed stance. A small brown furred creature with four legs, a bushy tail, and large ears was sitting at his feet and he was idly tossing a Pokeball into the air and catching it with a single hand. At first, I had no idea what the source of Oak's outburst could be. Then he caught the Pokeball and flipped the release catch, depositing an orange lizard onto the ground. I simply stared.

"As you can see, on my first day I caught two Pokemon. Well, technically I caught this Charmander after tracking it down and this little guy," he paused to scratch the Eevee on the head, "just walked up to me and wouldn't leave my side."

He took a moment to smile at all of us, daring us to call his bluff. Catching two Pokemon during a Ranger trial was impossible because each of us had been provided with only one Pokeball. If Blue had broken the rules by bringing extra Pokeballs on his expedition he would have failed the trial and been permanently banned from the Ranger Association.

To have this Eevee bond with him on sight, knowing that it had once belonged to his grandfather smelled of foul play. If he had figured out which of The Professor's collection were to be released and where, it would be possible he could have snuck into the lab and fed Eevee treats so that it would recognize him and follow him around.

But unless proven, Blue had not technically broken any rules and would be allowed to keep both Pokemon. I quickly glanced around and the look on everyone's faces revealed they also realized the situation.

"I could rattle off facts about these guys all day, you know I scored the highest on all of the Pokemon knowledge tests," Gary said as he continued to pet Eevee and reached out a hand to stroke Charmander's scaly head.

Professor Oak sighed and turned to Green. He gestured, and she released a bipedal blue turtle onto the ground at her feet. "It took me a long time to find his tracks since he alternates walking on two or four legs. I found him eating berries out of a bush, and since he was a long walk from water I think they must be his favorite food. Normally Squirtle stick to eating bugs, fish, grass, or seaweed so this little guy must have a sweet tooth."

"Depending on whether the habitat is freshwater or seawater Squirtle will choose to feed on algae or seagrass, respectively," the Professor corrected. "What care is required?"

Green bowed her head and blushed at the gentle rebuke, quickly recovering and responding "plenty of exercise is needed to burn off its natural aggression. Water aerobics is the preferred means of strengthening its arms, legs, and tail."

Oak nodded and turned to Yellow who had swapped her Cadet cap for a straw hat and sported a contented yellow rodent perched on his left shoulder. The girl smiled, "She doesn't like being in a Pokeball much."

"She snuck up on me while I was taking an afternoon nap, and tried to take off with some of my trail rations. The ruckus I made upon waking up to the feeling of having my bag of nuts and cheese stolen from my own hand riled up a wild Spearow, and this Pikachu fended it off. Afterward I gave her some of my snacks and she realized it would be a sweet deal to keep me safe if I paid her in food." She reached up to scratch her partner behind the ears.

As always, listening to the girl's easy drawl set me at ease. In my peripheral vision I saw the Professor relax too. Of the Cadets, Yellow was the best at working with Pokemon. While Blue's fallacy about forming an instant bond with Eevee was riddled with suspicion, if the same story had come from Yellow it would have been accepted without question.

My feeling of calm shattered a moment later when the Professor turned to me. As the last to arrive, I would be the final Cadet to undergo his inspection. After hearing the easy time the rest of my companions had in tracking their Pokemon, I felt uneasy revealing the nature of Poliwag's capture. I had neither tracked him nor bonded with him. I had not yet interacted with the creature and had no idea how it would behave.

I took a breath to relax before releasing Poliwag. The blue toad was deposited onto the ground, waving its tail wildly in an attempt to remain balanced on its small feet. It looked around to get its bearings after being in stasis when it locked eyes with Green's Squirtle. Before I could speak, the Pokemon was off. It rushed forward on unsteady legs and bodily tackled Squirtle, catching the turtle off guard and throwing it to the ground. Reacting quickly, I returned Poliwag to the Pokeball he still held.

All eyes turned to me as Green knelt to inspect her starter for any injuries. My face burned and I found myself unable to speak. "And that," chuckled the Professor, "is why fledgling trainers should avoid allowing undisciplined Pokemon to interact." Everyone took the hint and, chastised, returned their Pokemon. My eyes flicked to Eevee who still passively sat at Blue's feet.

"You have done well," the Professor smiled as he gave his final appraisal of our starters. "You have yet to begin on the journey which will last a lifetime. Garry has taught you how to survive in the world full of the fantastic creatures we call Pokemon, and through training in the lab you have learned their abilities and care. For the first time you are traveling to unknown territory, and there will be bumps and bruises along the way." He paused to smile at each of us in turn.

"Your Pokemon have been registered to your Ranger accounts. Garry has requested I send you all to meet in his cabin to receive your assignments. By the time you have finished your Trainer IDs will be ready so make sure to stop by the lab after your meeting." The Professor dismissed us with a wave, and we set off toward the cabin for our final meeting as Cadets.

 **The Beginning:**

We walked in silence at first before the lack of speaking nearly killed Blue. "So what the hell was that, Grey? Can't control a simple baby frog? And what was with the scar on its stomach? Did you only catch it because it was half dead?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Red interjected, "Based on the scarring on its abdomen, the wound was life threatening. The fact it is still alive is a testament to Grey's first aid capabilities. After experiencing a near death condition followed by status disorientation which, once resolved, revealed a predator common to its typical habitat, it makes perfect sense for an untrained creature to attack."

"A Rattata had scratched its stomach open," I said, providing the missing information to Red's analysis.

"Legendaries above, that is awful," Yellow commented. "You did the right thing. Poliwag's a fine starter. A little aggression can be a good thing, we all saw how that little guy ran after Squirtle even though he nearly toppled over on his little stick legs."

I could tell Green wanted to weigh in, it was hard to compete with minds like Red and Blue. The way they absorbed information and instantly responded to any situation was inhuman. But before she could say anything, we reached our destination. Blue opened the wood door and strode in, refusing to hold it open for anyone. Before we entered the cabin I reached out, touching Green's arm. She turned and I met her gaze. "I'm sorry Poliwag attacked Squirtle. I will train hard to ensure nothing like that ever happens again." Green smiled, nodded, and passed through the doorway.

We filed into the cabin and stood at attention before the Ranger Master who had rearranged the cabin for this event. The chairs had been cleared, the table folded and set aside, and a roughly carved podium had been arranged at the far side of the room. Garry stood over it, his hands clasped behind his back. He scowled deepened as we waited for him to speak.

"Sure beats the point of a wilderness survival trial if you return to town within the same day." Garry spoke, his voice tinged with anger.

"At least one of you managed to sleep in a tent for a single night." He sighed, running a hand over his balding head before gripping the podium.

"If any of you had come back on the first day after catching a Rattata I would have thrown you right back outside until you brought back a more suitable Pokemon even if you had to catch it with your bare hands. But here you are, your tracking skills having ruined all the fun of a a long term expedition with the reward of finding and catching your first Pokemon at the end. It's a good thing I expected no less of my students and filed your paperwork with the Ranger Association weeks ago."

"The Professor has registered your Pokemon, formally granting you the rights of Trainers and finalizing your graduation from the Cadets. From this moment forward you are now Rangers, and with that honor comes the responsibility of your assignments."

His gaze shifted from addressing us to the podium. "Red, you are to report to the Indigo Plateau for further instructions. Blue and Yellow, the Viridian Gym has requested you by name. Green, you are to appear before the Fuchsia Gym where you will be evaluated for placement. Grey, you have been assigned to the Cerulean Cave guard post."

We stood in shock for a moment. Most Rangers, after completion of the Cadet program, were granted leave for up to three years to travel, train, and attain proper licensing for Utility Moves by facing the gyms. To receive active assignments so early in our careers was unheard of. While we all thought highly of our skills, we had no idea how we compared to other Cadets. Garry had been reporting our progress to the Ranger Association as required, but never commented on how we were doing. We had assumed it was possible for Rangers to track the progress of Cadets and asked Garry multiple times if he would tell us how we compared to national averages but he refrained from any comment. He also refused to speak about his own time in the Navy unless it involved a cautionary tale, preventing us from learning how we stacked up against his old platoon.

"Grey, you are required to attain all certifications before reporting to your post." Garry spoke, breaking the silence. "The rest of you are to leave immediately after packing your supplies. I recommend you pack carefully and say goodbye to your mothers before picking up your Trainer licenses from the lab. And that you travel together to Viridian, the journey will be safer in numbers. You are all probably itching to hit the road and get a head start, but this may be the last time you are able to be together let alone see each other. Take your time, travel safe and smart, and enjoy your company. Squander this time and you will regret it for the rest of your lives."

Garry grabbed a folder from the podium and opened it, passing out sealed envelopes to each of us so that we would have a copy of our Ranger assignments when we reported to our posts. He then retrieved a duffle bag from a storage chest and handed out two crisp Ranger uniforms to each graduated Cadet. We beamed with pride, recovering from our shock as the sanctity of the moment set in.

"After you reach Viridian you are to meet with a colleague of mine, Fred Oldsman. He lives on the west side of town and will provide the final part of your training. Blue, if you still have any of that coffee left I recommend you offer him some. That old coot can't do a damned thing until he has his morning cup." The corners of Garry's mouth twitched into a rare smile. "Now go, and show the world how big Rangers from Pallet can get." He dismissed us with a wave and we left, listening to Blue's mutterings about how he didn't need any more training as we walked towards our homes before scattering to say our goodbyes.

I arrived just in time to hear the sounds of my mother cleaning up after breakfast. It took me a second to realize how little time the morning's events had taken. I walked into the kitchen, making some noise so I would not startle my mother. "Basil!" She said, turning off the sink.

I smiled, she was the only person in town who called me by my birth name. The Cadets had gotten so familiar with Garry's naming convention that we had long since forgotten our original names. We had even opted to have our Trainer and Ranger IDs registered with our cap colors.

"You are back so soon, thank you for making me breakfast!" She wiped her hands on a towel by the sink before rushing over for an embrace. "Did you catch a Pokemon? Let me see it!"

I hesitated but relented at her enthusiasm, releasing Poliwag onto the kitchen floor. "Wow!" My mother beamed, crouching to inspect the Pokemon closer. "He looks like he needs a rest! Why don't you leave him with me for a while? Your father was always so good with Pokemon and he taught me some tricks to help them relax." She bustled me out of the kitchen, ignoring my protests.

I headed upstairs to finish packing, taking a moment to touch the walls and memorize the space. It would likely be a long time before I returned and I wanted every detail fixed in my mind. The memory would help keep me warm on nights where I had to sleep outside in the rain. It did not take long to pack since I already had everything prepared from the Ranger trial. I shuffled some supplies, shifting from temporary to long term items. I sealed my assignment notification letter and uniforms in weatherproof plastic bags, packed them, and then returned to the kitchen.

The room had been deserted so I followed the splashing sounds filling the house to the bathroom, where I found my mother feeding treats to Poliwag who was happily swimming around in the small bathtub.

"He is such a sweetie even though he looks tough with that big scar on his belly!" she said.

Poliwag contentedly splashed in the tub, displaying no trace of his previously aggressive behavior. My mother reached into a bag she had set by the tub, retrieving another treat. "I bought these as a surprise for when you returned, a little sweetness really helps the bonding process." Poliwag swam to the edge of the tub, greedily eyeing the food. Mom reached out to pet it gently before handing over the treat, familiarizing the creature to human interaction.

"What is his name? You can't go on calling him Poliwag forever."

She was right, it was common practice for trainers to give their Pokemon nicknames to prevent confusion during a battle. Plenty of studies had been performed and proved the intelligence of Pokemon and their ability to distinguish voices, it was the humans who trained them that needed the assistance. It also made televised matches translate better when opponents faced off using the same species.

I looked to the Poliwag happily swimming and splashing in the tub and tried to think of a name. My eyes were drawn to the nasty scar it bore, stretching nearly the entire length of its abdomen. Everyone who saw the Pokemon would notice the same thing first, and it would be cruel to name it after such a physical distinction. I focused, letting all of the information I had about this Poliwag filter through my brain in the hope it would output something useful.

"Dominic," I said as I remembered the dominant nature of the Pokemon. My mother contemplated for a moment before nodding in approval. Her expression turned more tense and she turned asking, "So. When do you have to go?"

"Immediately. I am to report to Cerulean Cave after earning all of my UM licenses." I responded. UMs, the common name for Utility Moves, were heavily regulated by the Indigo Government. They were powerful moves capable of allowing trainers to surf across seas and push boulders, necessary to most explorers and travelers. But such immense power could easily result in the death of the trainer or set off a chain of events leading to a great catastrophe.

Horror stories were told from before the regulation of UMs when a novice trainer traveling through Rock Tunnel accidentally startling a sleeping Onix with Flash, resulting in the destruction of half of Lavender town. Now, a trainer must prove their skills and competence through trials in Environmental Disaster Simulation Gymnasiums, commonly called Gyms, to their leaders in order to be certified to receive UMs. Even then a licensed trainer could only have the UM applied at a local police station after providing proper documentation. By the time I had completed all of my certifications I should have a strong enough team and enough skill to serve my post.

Cerulean Cave was known to be the home of some of the most powerful monsters in the region and it would be my job to protect the nearby town from them. I might even have to trek into the depths of the cave to quell rampaging Pokemon; an impossible task without a well trained team of incredibly tough monsters.

My mother's eyes glazed over for a moment and I heard her sigh and mutter, "All boys leave someday."

She stood up, smoothing out the creases in her dress before fixing me with her gaze. "You better call. I know it may not be the most fashionable thing to call your mother, but you are all I have left. You will do great things, I just need you to check in from time to time so I know you are safe." She said, hardly a quiver in her voice. I stepped forward and embraced her, knowing how she must feel.

"I won't disappear," I promised.


	2. Chapter 2

Even though I had spent less than an hour at home, I was still somehow the last one to make it to the lab. The Professor had almost finished handing out our identification cards which he had slid into wallets he had purchased for this exact moment. "Along with your Trainer ID I have also supplied you with some funds as payment for working in the lab."

"In addition to the standard identification, as representatives of Pallet you will be needing these," He quickly snapped open a wide case sitting on the table next to him, revealing a row of shining Pokedexes.

"You have been logging information for their databases for so long I figured a little more field testing would do them some good. You are to thoroughly test every feature, and for each bug you find I will compensate you fairly." He handed a device to each of us which we took with reverence.

The Pokedex had been a commercial item for several years, but they were still invaluable to fledgling trainers. The Professor was always working on adding new features, but its core function could mean the difference between life and death if a trainer stumbled across an unfamiliar Pokemon.

"Now go on and get on the road! The day is still young and these formalities must be driving you crazy."

After thanking the Professor we left the lab in high spirits, Blue's constant yammering immediately turning the conversation toward the final training we were to receive. The topics ranged between advanced toolmaking to monster attack survival strategies and even touched on technology studies. We all shared our thoughts and Blue tried to dismiss our inputs, attempting to steer the discussion toward field in which he was already an expert.

While we had all received the same basic training we had developed specialties and had worked with other residents of Pallet to enhance skills in our areas of interest. Ultimately, we were unable to agree and the conversation fizzled out. Our Ranger Master was full of surprises, he lived to keep us on our toes and even though we had spent years working with him and trying to divine his next step he was always three moves ahead of us.

Following Garry's advice we stretched the two day journey to Viridian into three days, reasoning that it would allow us to arrive early in the morning instead of late afternoon. We spent the time talking, arguing, and getting to know our starters.

Due to the size of our group and Yellow letting Pikachu walk beside us instead of wait inside its Pokeball, wild monsters kept clear of our us. Since there were no other Pokemon to challenge, Red and Blue battled continuously. By sheer luck we managed to cross paths with a merchant on his way to Pallet on the second day who gave us Potions as promotional items, allowing the two rivals to extend their duel far beyond their starter's natural capacity.

It was impossible for Red or Blue to ignore a challenge. They were by far the best of us, and it was clear neither would have reached their level of success without the other driving them forward. Their natural ability to absorb knowledge was impressive, but their bitter rivalry fueled and forged them. Each of them had to prove they were the very best, regardless of the task.

In the early days of our training Garry had issued a challenge to see which of us could tie and untie a series of knots the fastest. Both Red and Blue trained so hard for the exercise that they went days without sleep. They refused to ask for help if they forgot a twist or needed to know how to make a certain loop faster. We could see the lights in their tents casting odd shadows late into the night, and saw their attention to all else slip as their mental fortitude declined due to sheer exhaustion. But when the time came to prove their skills they managed to impress Garry, a feat which had rarely occurred during our years of training.

I spent as much time as possible working with Yellow to help me bond with Poliwag. I insisted on only releasing the Pokemon during hiking breaks away from Green, so my time working with Dominic was limited. Yellow could work with Pokemon at a intuitive level that outstripped all of us, and I wanted her help with the basics. Within the first few hours of walking she appeared to have acclimated her Pikachu to human presence, quelled his aggression against other Pokemon, and imprinted her voice as the only one that could give orders. Poliwag, on the other hand, was extremely distrustful of other Pokemon. During training he would warily eye Pikachu atop Yellow's shoulder as if expecting an attack at any moment. He did not try to blindly attack like he had with Squirtle, likely seeing Pikachu as an unstoppable threat.

With Yellow's aid and the treats my mother had provided, we were able to acclimate Poliwag to human interaction. Before we reached Viridian I was able to start him on a simple exercise regimen to toughen up his abdominal muscles, knowing opponents would see the scar as a weak point for the rest of his life. We also spent some time at the beginning and end of each day working on adjusting the tottering creature to walking on land. It depended on its wide tail to balance and was clearly more suited to swimming. After each session I would spray the Pokemon down with a misting bottle to ease its discomfort and frustration.

We arrived in Viridian shortly after dawn, passing through the city gates after flashing our Trainer IDs and getting directions to Fred Oldsman's house from the guard. The journey had been short and yet it was possible to see the effects of becoming Pokemon trainers on each of us.

Red and Blue had sunk into silence, constantly developing new strategies after their countless battles in the hopes to outmaneuver each other. Their sparring had resorted to the most basic concept in the end: Pokemon are incredibly dangerous and have abilities that can quickly overpower humans. At the core, Pokemon battling was developed as a means of protecting the trainer from attacks from another trainer. Suppressing your opponent is the fastest way to win a fight since it means they can no longer summon other monsters to protect themselves and endanger you.

Red and Blue both sported bruises and scrapes from successful attacks against each other. The first direct attack occurred as an accident, resulting in a fit of cursing as the two unskilled Pokemon missed an attack against each other and hurtled into their opposing trainers. The pair had called a ceasefire and paused from battling to hone the skills of their starters before resuming. But the nature of the battlefield had changed, and they had to constantly dodge purposeful attacks from their Pokemon.

Since Yellow and I were working closely together it left Green to be the odd man out. Once Red and Blue got into something it was impossible to draw them from their trance. Green spent her time watching the pair face off and took diligent notes on their tactics in her Pokedex. She also joined a couple training sessions but gave up on the practice quickly. Poliwag, having designated her as Squirtle's trainer, refused to do anything but angrily glare whenever she was near.

It was Yellow who really brought us together. She told stories around the campfire and used her excellent foraging skills to cook delicious stews for everyone. When conversations fell flat she filled the void with jokes. She brought us together and bound us with ease, the same way she interacted with Pokemon.

Yellow resurrected the topic of the training as we walked through the streets of Viridian. The town, while rustic in appearance, radiated the feeling of wealth. As it was the last settlement Trainers passed through on their way to Victory Road and the proximity to Viridian Forest attracted bug enthusiast from across the region, the town thrived on tourism. The incomers flocking to the city expected a certain ambiance and the residents had done everything they could to maintain the illusion.

Smoke curled from chimneys even though every roof was covered in cleverly disguised solar panels which had been crafted to look like tile. The small buildings crafted from intricately cut wood were spaced by cobblestone streets. Each structure was unique, and it was easy to distinguish Fred Oldsman's house from the rest with the description provided by the guard. It was built in the same fashion as the rest of the town but with rougher cut logs and had been painted a bright blue. We approached the house as a group and Blue knocked on the door.

A brown haired woman in a flowing pink dress opened it and took us in at a glance, "Hello, can I help you?"

"We are here to meet with Fred Oldsman, Garry Maple of Pallet sent us." Blue responded.

"I am terrible sorry, but he refuses to meet with anyone until he has had his morning coffee and it is rather early in morning." She said, slowly closing the door. Wordlessly, Blue pulled the bag of coffee beans from the side pocket of his pack where he had shifted it for quick removal and offered it to the woman.

"Oh! Well this is of high quality. Why don't you wait here for a moment while I prepare the coffee and let Dad know you are here." She shut the door leaving us to stand awkwardly outside. We unstrapped our packs and set them down to give our shoulders a break and had just started stretching to loosen up cramped muscles from the three day hike when the door burst open and a gangly, energetic, elderly man emerged. He had a series of odd black metallic coil looped across one shoulder and was carrying a duffle bag which rattled as he walked. A single Pokeball on his belt marked him as a trainer.

"Now that I've had my coffee, I feel great! So you are the group old Garry has been training, eh? Well don't just stand there, follow me!" the man said. We quickly donned our gear and hurried to keep up with his rapid pace.

"I might not look like much now, but I used to be an expert at catching Pokemon! Silph Co. even hired me as a consultant while developing these," he gestured to the odd coils. "But enough about me. Garry pulled in a favor and asked me to show you lot how to catch Pokemon."

Blue groaned. "We already know how, we just caught our first Pokemon."

The man whirled, halting his mad march toward the city gates. "It doesn't matter what you know or what you think you know. Catching Pokemon is one of the most important survival skills you can learn and if someone offers to teach you their technique you better shut up and listen. The seconds it takes for a rampaging wild Charizard to break free from capture might be all you get before it tears your guts out. And unless you throw true, most monsters are going to bat your pathetic projectile out of the air and gobble you up before you realize you missed. So start taking notes, sonny."

Fred resumed his brisk pace and we followed without further interruptions as he led us out the city gates and into the nearby woods west of town. At the edge of the treeline he stopped abruptly and spun towards us once again. "Now I can tell Garry has supplied you with standard Ranger gear, meaning you have pressure drop pouches for your Pokeballs." We nodded in affirmation. He shook his head in disgust.

"Now why in the world would a trainer, in a life and death moment, want to reach behind them to get a Pokeball? Sure, once you press the bottom of the pouch the Pokeball drops out quickly enough, but now you are stuck with your hand at a bad throwing angle." He mimed the process slowly, acting out the steps necessary to reach back to press your hand against the bottom of an exterior pouch on your backpack then moving your arm forward and into a throwing stance. "Poor design. You need one of these," he gestured to an odd cylinder strapped to his leg. A loop ran through his belt keeping it in place and a strap ran around his thigh to keep it upright.

"You are all fundamentally under equipped. I will demonstrate this fact shortly, and then get you up to speed. It is your absolute duty to pay attention to my every move." Fred said before motioning for silence and creeping forward.

We dropped our stances and followed him, paying more attention to his movements than ensuring our stealth. We walked for several minutes into the woods before Fred raised a hand signaling for us to stop. It was then I noticed the glove on his hand, crafted from some dark material that absorbed light rather than reflect it.

A bush ahead of Fred rattled, revealing the movement of some creature within its branches. Fred shifted into a better stance, pointing his body toward the spot. His gloved hand slipped down to the top of the leg pouch and he froze. A Weedle slowly inched its way out of the bush, having not yet noticed our presence.

In a single fluid motion Fred made a motion like he was grasping a Pokeball from the air nearby the pouch. An opening appeared, launching a capture device into his hand which was already rapidly raising into a throwing position. He threw with perfect accuracy, nailing the Weedle between the eyes with the release button of the Pokeball. It snapped open pouring scarlet light from its interior, surrounding the oblivious creature and drew it inside the orb which fell to the ground and blinked a successful capture without a single shake or sign of struggle.

Fred stepped forward and picked up the Pokeball, adding it to his belt. He then spun, flinging the device towards us with an underhanded pitch at extraordinary speeds. It paused mid-flight to open, pouring its contents onto the ground at our feet. With a twitch from Fred's fingers the Pokeball reversed its course and returned to his belt where he carefully plucked it and returned the Weedle. "Any questions?"

(o)|/-\|(o)

We spent the rest of the day training on new equipment and the art of throwing a Pokeball. To start Fred equipped each of us with one of the black coils he had brought, which were highly advanced pieces of hardware. Each was a six foot length of one and a half inch flexible material. He instructed us to thread it through our belt loops and then wrap it over itself, covering the loops so that it could hold our pants up as well as meet its other functions. It had six magnetic spots on its exterior for holding Pokeballs and could rotate in place to move the desired device closest to your hand. It was possible to wear the coil however we wanted so long as it was wrapped over itself, and using it as belt was simply the common practice.

He then retrieved gloves and leg pouches for each of us from the duffle bag and showed us their basic function and care. The gloves reacted to micromovements in our hands and could send commands to the belt, pouch, and any Pokeball they touched. They were constructed of a complex material capable of grounding electric shock, preventing rapid heat change, and were nearly impossible to pierce. In essence, while wearing them you could interact with almost any Pokemon without worry of accidental poisoning, burning, freezing, or electrocution.

Each of these tools were astounding devices. When working together it was like watching magic happen before our eyes. Fred loaded our pouches with Pokeballs and walked us through the basic gestures for quickly releasing their contents and reviewed throwing techniques, showing us that subtle movements would ensure the Pokeball was thrown without spin so that it would hit its target button first.

At that point Fred had us remove our packs, sit down, and release our starters one by one. He taught us that Pokemon have points which, if found, will increase the rate of capture if the Pokeball hits that exact spot. "It has something to do with the distribution of the dematerialization field emitted by the ball during initial capture," he said but did not elaborate further. When prompted for more details he waved us off saying, "If you need more information take it up with the lawyers at Silph. I have been trying to get them to release data for years but they refuse to give up any of their secrets."

He pointed out that the best place to capture each of our starters would have been the front edge of Bulbasaur's bulb, the center of Charmander's belly, Squirtle's chin, the tip of Pikachu's ear, the exact center of Poliwag's whirls, and Eevee's chest. He pointed out that he would have chosen these spots because they also included the least likelihood that the Pokemon could have knocked the ball off course with an errant attack. In some cases, such as with Pikachu, the first choice is not always the best. The species is known for constantly twitching their ears to capture every sound possible, making them an extremely difficult target to hit with a thrown object. As an alternative target, the best option would be to try for Pikachu's side.

After receiving training and instructions on the equipment, Fred drilled us in capturing techniques until he was satisfied. We practiced quick drawing, targeting, and throwing Pokeballs at targets randomly announced by Fred. We then returned the Pokeballs using the glove directed magnetics and repeated the process.

After Yellow's inspection she turned and said, "Now we have all this theoretical training, will you assist me in applying these new tricks? I want to make sure I know what to do while I have a master here to correct me."

Fred nodded, grinning in satisfaction. He finished running the rest of us through the tests before leading us deeper into the woods. It was not long before we spotted the indicators of Pokemon trails and began tracking them. Fred paused and waved Yellow forward, indicating that she should take point. We followed her into a small clearing where we saw a wild Rattata curled into a ball, resting in the warmth of a sunny spot.

Fred positioned himself beside Yellow, orienting himself so that we could all see his gestures. He pointed at the Pikachu sitting atop Yellow's shoulder with two fingers and then to the Rattata, indicating she should weaken the creature first to decrease its resistance from capture. He then mimed an odd series of gestures, first pointing to his mouth and making a gnashing motion followed by pressing his fingers to his forehead and headbutting the air. Then he arched his fingers and made clawing motions. Finally he paused, and gestured to his side. After spending the majority of the day training with the man, we all understood his intent: Rattata had powerful biting, headbutting, and scratching attacks. The best angle for capture would be to flank the creature and aim for its unguarded sides.

Yellow reached up to scratch Pikachu before holding her arm out, creating a launch platform for the Pokemon. Pikachu rushed forward, leaping from Yellow's outstretched arm and sending a bolt of lightning into the sleeping Rattata. The wild Pokemon screeched in pain, startled out of its sleep. It jumped to its feet and began looking about in a desperate attempt to find its attacker. Yellow took advantage of the momentary confusion, quickly maneuvering around to a better position. Pikachu rushed forward in a quick attack before dashing back to avoid any retaliation. Rattata screeched again and began whipping its tail back and forth in an attempt to intimidate Pikachu into leaving its territory. The monster's heaving breaths and beaten appearance were unable to fool anyone. Yellow wasted no time, executing the capture process exactly as instructed, resulting in an instant success. She beamed in delight, scooping up Pikachu unto a congratulatory embrace while she added Rattata's Pokeball to her belt.

Moving slowly and carefully, Fred led us out of the woods and back toward Viridian. Once safely inside the city he stopped and turned to us. "Garry is a good man. He saved our platoon from certain death more times than I can count.

"There was a moment during the early days of deployment when by all rights we should have died. Our ship had been working its way to Cinnabar from Fuschia and we had orders to cull the Tentacool population in order to make the waters passable. A boom in their numbers made it difficult for even military vessels to make the journey. We spent weeks systematically wiping them out. We kept on, business as usual, when all hell broke loose before we knew something was wrong."

"I was just leaving the mess to take on my shift, relieving Garry. I approached his post near the starboard side of the ship when the deck started tipping. We watched in horror as thousands of Tentacool climbed over the edge of the ship nearest us, their combined weight bringing the edge of the cruiser close to the sea. Then the biggest Tentacruel I have ever seen rose from the waters before us, the crystals on it's head glowing with an intense light. Beside it unfurled the head of an equally gigantic Gyarados, its eyes filled with the same red light. An orb of pure power began to form in its opened maw and I knew we were all dead. The Tentacool would tip the ship into the ocean, and the hyper beam from Gyarados would tear it in half."

"Garry reacted immediately, he unclasp an empty Pokeball from where he kept them on his belt and hurled it towards Tentacruel. It spun true, moving straight for the smaller jewel above its eyes. Rather than expend the energy to swat the projectile out of the air with a tentacle, the monster shot a beam of light from the jewel, blowing the device into bits. And in that moment the creature's concentration broke and the second Pokeball struck its mark."

"Garry had managed to somehow arc the orb over Gyarados's head to connect directly with the fin on its neck. The capture cancelled its attack, and when Tentacruel spun to see what had happened a third Pokeball struck the creature in the beak. While the pair struggled to break free I had enough time to release my Magneton," Fred patted a Pokeball on his belt.

"Without Tentacruel's influence the Tentacool broke formation, running away from the battle. By the time it took the sea monster to break free the platoon had gathered their wits, and the moment it crested the waves our platoon struck it with enough bolts of lightning to power the Celedon department store for a century. After that day, having seen Garry's skill, I dedicated myself to training to become a capture master."

"What happened to Gyarados?" Yellow asked, "I didn't know the Ranger Master had one."

Fred shook his head in response, "We searched but were unable to recover the Pokeball. It was before modern technology enabled us to return them remotely."

Yellow paled and shook in horror. While stored in a Pokeball the captured monster would be kept in a state of stasis, frozen in time and unaware of the world around it. Trainers had to be careful to remember the emotional state of their team when returning them or risk releasing a Pokemon who had been in a fight for its life into a peaceful scene only to have the monster continue the battle, not realizing it had ended long ago. Pokeball technology was so advanced the devices never deteriorated, meaning if a trainer died before releasing their team or a Pokeball couldn't be recovered the monster within would be kept in stasis indefinitely. As far as we knew that Gyarados would be sitting in a Pokeball until the oceans dried up and someone found it.

"In return for the favor of saving my life he asked me to provide the training you received today. As an added bonus, I am throwing in all of the equipment and the six Pokeballs filling your quick release holster. I owe Garry much more than that, and am glad I could do his students this small favor."

Fred shuffled in his pockets for a moment before withdrawing small cards and handing one out to each of us. "Here is my number if you ever have a question or need capture consultation."

He shook each of our hands before saying, "It has been good for these old bones to see such promise. Garry has trained you well, and I am sure you do him proud." He then spun with a wave and started walking back toward his home.

Our minds reeling from the day's Revelations and training, we wearily approached the Pokemon Center in desperate need of a hot meal, a bed, shower, and healing for our overworked Pokemon. We had broken into our rations for lunch and had opted to skip dinner to press on with training. We stumbled through the doors of the Center as the last light of day disappeared. As trainers our first priority was healing our Pokemon, so we headed toward the bank of rapid healing machines in the middle of the entrance hall. Each one had a screen with a slot for a trainer card and a tray with six round indents.

Pokemon Center Standard Healing Machines are capable of interfacing with a maximum of six Pokeballs at a time, which resulted in the trend of six Pokemon teams. Having a larger party is possible but it means longer breaks from training when your team needs healed.

While strong Pokemon will disobey weak trainers, the same rule is viable for strong trainers trying to command a large number of Pokemon. Even having the maximum number of six Pokemon was uncommon due to the mastery of command required to train or battle with multiple Pokemon at a time. Most species are extremely territorial and it takes years to convince members of your team that they are not a threat to each other. Even then, a single misstep can lead to a fight.

I tapped the screen to bring it to life. The face of a smiling pink haired woman appeared, sporting the attire of a nurse. "Welcome to the Viridian Pokemon Center! My name is Nurse Joy, how may I be of service?"

"Healing," I said.

The nurse on screen smiled. "We can heal your Pokemon back to perfect health!" The image changed and displayed instructions for loading the tray. "Ok, we'll need your Pokemon." The voice of Nurse Joy instructed.

I removed Poliwag's Pokeball from my belt and put it into the first indent. The screen changed again, displaying a Poliwag sprite in the corresponding space so I could see which Pokemon were being healed. I inserted my Trainer ID into the slot and pressed the "Restore" icon. A series of chimes were played as the machine worked, paired with a video of Nurse Joy placing six Pokeballs on a rapid healing table before placing them into a tray and returning them. "Thank you! Your Pokemon are fighting fit! Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Single bed room reservation for tonight only," I responded.

"Ok! Do you require any special accommodations?"

"No."

"Ok! We can set you up in room 220. Your Trainer ID will function as your key. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"No."

"We hope to see you again!" Nurse Joy said, the camera panning out as she waved revealing a Chansey by her side.

I collected Poliwag and my ID thena waited for the rest to complete their transactions, hearing the same joyful tone emitting from each of their respective machines. Twenty of them ringed a massive column which displayed general news of the area, the text rotating around the pillar to entertain any trainer who had to wait for access to the healing tables.

When the others were finished we trudged to the 24/7 cafeteria and loaded up trays of real food, paid at the counter, and sat down at a round table barely big enough for all of us. We ate in silence at first before the warmth of the meal worked its way through us, returning the sensation of being human and allowing our brains to kick back on. We idly chatted about the day's events, wondering what other technology was out there was unavailable to common trainers. The conversation died down when weariness set in, and we agreed to meet one last time for breakfast at dawn.

I shuffled to my room where I carefully set up my backpack and gear against the door before showering. It was a paranoid act on my part, but I had not been to a city this size before and wanted some kind of barrier from entry to my room aside from a locked door. After my shower I filled up the bathtub and released Poliwag. I fed him some food I had purchased for him from the cafeteria before giving him free reign of the tub. I could have requested a room with a water enclosure, but I did not want to wear out my funds this early in my journey. Seeing Dominic's contentment, I flopped onto the soft bed and quickly fell asleep to the soft sound of splashing from the bathroom.

(o)|/-\|(o)

I awoke shortly before sunrise, years of conditioning had trained my body's clock into a reliable tool. I cleaned the room, returning it to its original state before collecting Poliwag and my gear. I took the stairs down to the ground level, not fully trusting the elevator and enjoying the exercise.

Red and Blue were waiting by the cafeteria, as I emerged from the stairwell the elevator doors opened and Green stepped into the lobby. I smiled, morning meetings were some of the rare events to which I was not last to arrive. Yellow greatly valued her sleep and had often been found sneaking off to take naps during the day. We discussed beginning breakfast without her and started making our way to the cafeteria when we heard the elevator chime and she rushed to meet us.

We chatted over breakfast, telling stories of our past and speculating on our futures. We were too competitive to reveal how we planned to reach or fill our roles, but we talked about what actions serving our posts might require. It was bittersweet, and knowing it may be the last meal we have together made it hard to keep conversations light. In the end we wasted no time waiting for someone to fill the void, we simply finished our meals, checked out of our rooms at the Center machines, and tried to say goodbyes.

Blue simply spun on his heels, waving over his shoulder and said, "C'mon Yellow, let's go. The rest of you, smell you later," and he was gone. Yellow rushed to give each of us a heartfelt hug before racing to catch up with him. Green and I shook Red's hand, wishing him luck, and then he too left our group.

I turned to Green. "So, it looks like it is just us. Want to travel together on our way to Pewter?"

She shook her head. "No, I received orders that transportation to Fuschia will be arranged for me later today. I am to wait outside city gates near Route 1 for their arrival."

"Oh," I said, thrown off balance. I knew I would be making most of my journey on my own but I did not realize my isolation would begin this soon. "Well, good luck then. I know you will do great." I reached out a hand to shake hers.

She grasp it, "Thanks, you too," she replied. Then we parted ways, she heading south while I started north.

I made a stop at a general market to pick up supplies and extra Pokeballs. With a hard day of hiking I could reach Viridian Forest, which would probably take me a week to traverse. I could cut straight through and save on travel time, but I planned on exploring and training during the expedition.

I set off, exiting the northern city gates and entering Route 2. Aside from regular breaks to keep up with Dominic's training, I did not stop until I could see the Viridian Forest Gatehouse. I opted to camp outside, as there was a lower risk of Pokemon attacks this side of the wall.

Aside from the Safari Zone, Viridian Forest was one of the most meticulously preserved areas in the region. While it took a whole team of Rangers to keep the Safari Zone in check, Giovanni maintained everything south of Pewter himself.

After being instated as the Gym Leader of Viridian, Giovanni's first action was to shut the Gym's doors permanently. Any challenger wishing to earn their licensing in Viridian would have to register with the local police station and wait for a response. Typically they would receive a letter from Giovanni within three days containing a time and location. They would find themselves in an unmarked clearing, eerily silent and utterly devoid of Pokemon somewhere deep in Viridian Forest where they waited for Giovanni to appear at the appointed time.

The Leader's second action upon receiving his title was to formally request the absolute removal of all Rangers from Pewter to Route 1. He patrolled the areas himself, and under his careful hand the local creatures thrived without causing a threat to human cities. This caused an exponential increase in the number of bug collectors traveling to his city, giving life to the economy of the frontier city.

His third and final action was to cease construction of the power lines from Pewter to Viridian. The coal industry in Pewter had been booming for years and Giovanni's predecessor thought tapping into their success and bringing power to the town would help make it more habitable and comfortable. Giovanni felt that disrupting Pokemon habitats to such excess would ultimately be detrimental and believed Viridian could survive on advanced solar power alone. The tourism boom and lack of Pokemon attacks proved him right on all parts.

I woke just before dawn the next morning, packed camp, and headed into the building. At one point in its history the gatehouse had been a simple structure built in an attempt to keep the hoards of creatures thriving within the untamed forest from easily attacking Viridian. Under Giovanni's influence it had been transformed into a miniature resort, allowing bug collectors to live in luxury during their stay in Viridian.

I registered my passage at the front desk where the concierge swiped my ID into a computer, logging my entrance into the forest with the Ranger and local police databases so that if I went missing they would know my last recorded position. I then made my way through the elaborate lobby into the woods, feeling refreshed by the untamed feel of the forest. The passage of trainers had worn foot trails through the woods but no attempts to make actual clearings had ever been made.

All totaled, I ended up spending a week and a half in the forest. I had found slow moving streams in which I trained Poliwag, trying to get him acclimated with walking on land but catering to his comfort in the water. I took extra time to scour the woods for every breed of Pokemon while dodging other trainers in a desperate attempt to hone my capturing skills while avoiding unnecessary battles.

I had decided that I needed to get more training under my belt before forcing Poliwag into a competitive environment. However, this created a unique problem. Typical trainers earned cash through winning battles, and without that kind of income I would quickly burn through the seed money the Professor had provided. So I decided to either trade or sell any Pokemon I had captured and decided not to keep as members of my team. It would allow me to at least cover the cost of Pokeballs used when practicing capturing, and hopefully be enough to keep me fed.

I ended up catching 3 Caterpie, 4 Weedle, a Pidgey, and a Pikachu. Some trainers or traders prefered to work with Pokemon before they reached their final evolution and I wanted to capitalize on every opportunity. Rather than take advantage of the perfect environment to evolve the bug Pokemon, I spent the additional time training Poliwag.

I managed to teach it hypnosis, which was bizarre to witness. The spirals on its stomach would spin, captivating wild Pokemon with the movement. We trained for long hours on the move as I feared the scarring would hinder its effectiveness.

Unfortunately, the technique had no effect on me so I had a hard time evaluating its power. We spent some time training with the bug types and the move had an instant effect, dropping them into a catatonic state.

After learning hypnosis Poliwag was incredibly receptive to further training. I had heard Pokemon who could learn psychic type abilities had the potential to tap into their trainer's brainwaves, intensifying the bond between them. I was not sure if this was the case, but Poliwag started to absorb everything I tried to teach.

After logging my exit of the forest at the northern gatehouse I made my way to Pewter. Once inside the city I went straight to the Center to heal my Pokemon, then took the stairs to the Union Room on the first level of the building. These rooms had been created in recent years to allow trading between cities.

Scientists had made breakthroughs in the data transfer field and managed a way to wirelessly transmit Pokemon through heavily encrypted signals. Three rings of kiosks filled the large space with most of them in use. I found an empty booth and slid my Trainer ID into the slot. Nurse Joy once again appeared on the screen.

"Hello! Welcome to the Union Room, where transfer between devices is possible!" The screen paused for a moment before continuing, "We noticed you do not have a wi-fi club account, would you like to create one so that you can access the Pokemon Transfer Database?"

"Yes," I replied.

"Thank you for registering as a member of the wi-fi club! What action would you like to take at this time?"

"Deposit for open trade or sale," I said, setting down my backpack and opening up the pouch containing the Pokeballs I had set aside earlier.

"Please provide us with the Pokemon you would like to deposit." The screen changed, showing an instructional animation detailing how to load Pokeballs into the tray. I filled it with the Caterpie and three Weedle. Sprites appeared on screen to indicate which Pokemon were loaded into the tray. I pressed the "Deposit" button and listened to the jingle as one by one, the sprites disappeared as their data was uploaded and the Pokeballs were emptied.

"Would you like to perform the same action with more Pokemon?"

"Yes," I said, loading the remaining Weedle and Pidgey into the tray and watching their sprites disappear. The machine repeated its question and I responded with, "No, end transaction," and watched the screen as it verified my Pokemon had been deposited and logged me out of the network. I retrieved my Trainer ID and made my way down to the healing machines on the ground floor to get my team back up to full health.

Even though Pikachu was the most rare of those I had caught and would return, I kept him as a plan began to form in my mind. My Ranger post was one of the most dangerous in the region and I was required to obtain licensing from Gym Leaders in order to prepare for the threats I would face. Each of the Gyms simulated a type of natural disaster and the Leaders typically used Pokemon best suited to survive such phenomenon.

If I were to prepare myself to survive any condition, it made sense that I emulate the strength of the Leaders. So my plan was simple: I would train a team of Pokemon consisting of species matching the Leader's most fearsome monster. I had kept Pikachu knowing that one day in the near future I would be facing Surge, and by that time I would bring a Raichu more terrifying than his own to the battlefield.

The plan gave me direction, and an immediate destination. Pewter was renown for its mining facilities and the coal burning power plants that brought electricity to the city. Disconnected from the rest of civilization by Mt. Moon, the town was unable to tap into the Cerulean Hydroelectric Dam and had to resort to its own resources. The smoke from the factories attracted several species of poison type Pokemon that were rare in the rest of the region. Brock kept their numbers low by regulating the amount of byproduct the facilities could produce, constantly pushing them to refine their process. Even with the reduced pollution the poison Pokemon who had migrated to the town continues to thrive, making Pewter one of the few places I could get my hands on a Koffing so that I could prepare for my battle against Koga.

After healing Pikachu and Poliwag I set off for the coal plants west of the city. The oceans to the south typically had an influence on the wind, even this far inland, and the smoke from the facilities was almost constantly blown northwest, away from Pewter. It was not a far walk, although it did take me some time to find my way around the heavy gates protecting the factory from errant Pokemon attacks. Luckily, I had been traveling on a day with almost no wind and instead of being easily blown away, the smoke from the factory had settled and was billowing close to the ground. Several Koffing were floating around, alternating between hovering just above the grass and raising themselves up to be enveloped by the dark cloud.

I released Pikachu for this task, knowing the danger of being this close to a swarm of Koffing. The volatile gases stored in their bodies allowed them to explode at will, and in such proximity could cause a deadly chain reaction that may even damage the factory. If something went wrong Poliwag would be unable to run away on its unbalanced feet but Pikachu would be able to escape.

I watched for a time, noting the cycle of the Koffing and the timing of their movements. The moment one was closest to the ground I moved into position and whispered a command to Pikachu, its sensitive ears easily picking up the words "thunder wave".

A streak of lightning clipped Koffing and arced around its body, temporarily paralyzing its movements. I quickly released and hurled a Pokeball at the stunned creature, managing to solidly connect with the center of the circle above the X marked on its chest. I froze while the Pokeball fell to the ground and began rocking back and forth as the monster inside resisted capture. After a moment it clicked, indicating a success.

I pumped the air in glee before racing forward to give Pikachu a congratulatory scratch and retrieve the ball. I added it to my belt while contemplating allowing Pikachu to join me in the walk back to town, giving him time to stretch his legs. I turned to the Pokemon to ask what it preferred when I heard a hissing sound from above me. I looked up to see the sky had been blotted out by a mass of roiling purple gas. The Koffing had seen me take one of their own and had marked me for death. I returned Pikachu and fled for my life, pulling my shirt above my noise to minimize inhalation of the poison gas.

When I was halfway back to town I slowed, sure that my breakneck speed was enough to outpace the slowly floating monsters. I stopped to catch my breath and turned, seeing a dozen of the creatures still following me. If they had trailed me this far then they might not stop when I reached town, and could injure civilians. It was as good a time as any to put Fred's advice to use. I released Poliwag and Pikachu, giving them the simple command, "Water gun, thunder wave!"

When in range the Koffing began emitting a black sludge that poured from their mouths like a heavy cloud. It fell to the ground and rolled towards us. In retaliation Poliwag sprayed them with a small beam of water and Pikachu launched a salvo of lightning bolts which arced and chained through the whole group. As they fell to the ground my hand shot out, launching all ten of my Pokeballs at the Koffing. The devices fell to the ground, obscured by the smog. I quickly picked Poliwag up and allowed Pikachu to climb atop my head as we waited. The two Koffing I was unable to catch would still be in there, and I had lost track of their locations. One by one I heard the click of successful captures from the ten Pokeballs and I fought the impulse to breathe a sigh of relief. The danger was not yet over.

With a groan, the two Koffing rose from the slowly dissipating cloud of smog. "Water gun, thunderbolt!" I cried, hoping for a knockout instead of temporary incapacitation. Once again, Dominic hosed down the Koffing and Pikachu followed up with a burst of lightning. The Koffing were blown out of the sky by the force of the impact and flew backward several feet before colliding painfully with the ground. I waited a few more minutes for the smog to finish dissipating before returning my team, collecting the Pokeballs from the ground, and racing back to Pewter at full speed.

(o)|/-\|(o)

Having sorted through the collection of Koffing to pick the one I would train, uploading the rest for trade or sale, reserving a room, and shoveling down a quick dinner at the Center cafeteria I went to the room to plan out my next step. I released Dominic into the bathtub, and allowed Pikachu free reign of the room where he sniffed and poked around, looking for food and a comfortable place to rest. Immediately after capture the creature had been a nightmare to handle but, following Yellow's advice, I was able to get it to calm down and obey me by keeping it well fed. I opened a styrofoam container of food I had grabbed from the cafeteria specifically for my Pokemon and set some out for Pikachu on the small bedside table while feeding Poliwag his share.

I began pacing around the room, working on formulating the next step of my plan. The first license recommended by the Ranger Association was regulated by Brock of Pewter. The badge authorized its wielder to obtain HM05, allowing them to teach a Pokemon to create a blinding light typically used to assist a trainer in spelunking. However, as such a powerful ability in the hands of an inexperienced trainer could cause a rampage of nocturnal monsters, it was Brock's duty to assess the competence of trainers. His gym had been designed to simulate an extraordinarily dangerous cave where the wrong move could cause a cave-in, spark a hidden pocket of gas, cause a frenzy of Zubats to attack, and a number of other disasters. In order to succeed it was necessary for the trainer to avoid all pitfalls and make it to the bottom of the cave where they would have to fend off an attack from Brock's carefully groomed rock monsters.

With these details in mind, I filed paperwork with the local Pewter nature reserve and Ranger Association requesting to enter Mt. Moon with the intent to catch a rock type Pokemon. The city guards prevented anyone without the proper licensing from entering Mt. Moon due to the danger it posed to unskilled trainers. I meticulously detailed how my post would require spending weeks deep underground in Cerulean Cave and how I desperately needed to bond with creatures of an earthy affinity in order to better understand the environment in which I would be living. It took a week of waiting, but eventually the paperwork was approved. I replenished my supplies took off for the imposing mountain with the glimmer of a mad plan that had not been a part of my documented request.

I spent the week before my journey reading geological studies and local history of expeditions through Mt. Moon. It was a name that had changed over the years with the earliest records naming it "the mountain of the moon", originating from legends that in our distant past an immense object fell from the sky, crashing into the earth and setting fire to the land. The impact was said to have flattened mountains and caused plains to ripple and crack, reforming Kanto into its current shape.

The object from outside of our world was described as being a piece of the moon in the earliest texts, but failed to describe what a moon was. Or, to be more precise, the definition made no sense. Researchers had uncovered records describing a moon as the natural satellite of the earth, visible at night by reflecting the light from the sun. But everyone alive could look up to the sky after the sun had set and stare into the infinite darkness. There was nothing up there at night, especially not anything that created light.

The name remained unchanged, and Mt. Moon was the only area in the region where Clefairy chose to nest. Following the stories of its origin,many legends had sprung up around the location and its strange inhabitants.

The sheer number of reports from travelers about the tunnels changing shape and direction seemingly of their own accord gave them credibility and explained why maps designating safe paths through the mountain to Cerulean were impossible to find. These anomalies were reported to occur only within Mt. Moon and vastly differed from the regular and nearly predictable paths of Onix in Rock Tunnel, who were known for carving new tunnels through the earth with their movements. The difference led experts to believe they were caused by the Clefairy population.

However, the general shape of the tunnels in Mt. Moon appeared to be extremely similar to the type dug by Onix. That single detail kept running through my mind. I had flipped open my Pokedex to check information about Clefairy and couldn't help but to think that if they really wanted to keep the human population out of their caves all they had to do was make the tunnels smaller.

I spent some time in the cafeteria waiting for other travelers to pass through and asked them if they had passed through the two cave systems and took notes on the similarities. In general it appeared the only two consistent details were the number of Zubats and the size of the tunnels.

I couldn't help but to think that for whatever reason,the Clefairy were incapable of constructing their own tunnels and instead were using their mystical abilities to either copy or move existing cave systems. But that meant something had to create the original passages, and all signs pointed to Onix. Since I would not be able to reach Rock Tunnel, let alone Cerulean, without Brock's approval I would have to take up my own bet if I wanted to face his Onix with one of my own.

So when the approval for my brief excursion into Mt. Moon was approved I finished packing my supplies and rushed to the mountain entrance. I had a purpose and a plan, my spirits were high and I was ready to evidence of my theories.

(o)|/-\|(o)

Broken, beaten, and covered in dozens of painful bite wounds, I leaned against the cavern wall, defeated. Weeks had passed since I had last seen the sun, and it looked like my supplies would run out before I could make it back to the surface. I had spent every waking moment descending further into the mountain, searching for any sign of recent formation of the tunnels or any indicator of an Onix's passage. In the process I lost track of how much time it would take to return. Poliwag and Pikachu remained in their Pokeballs, protected from further harm by their stasis fields. They had fended off countless creatures that had jumped out of the dark and attacked us while we walked and I feared they had reached their limits. Koffing was still full of energy as I had not released her throughout the entire expedition, fearing the untrained monster would fill the tunnels with poison gas.

I uncapped my water bottle and took a sip, feeling the last drops fall into my mouth, then turned off my flashlight, needing a moment to rest. While I needed the portable light to see, it had proved ineffective as a Zubat repellent and seemed to attract other monsters from their hiding places. Burying my dirt streaked face in filthy hands I tried to calm down and breathe evenly only to fail, letting out a choked sob. After years of training, this would be his end. A stupid plan cooked up in the safety of a cozy home in a warm bed had left me starving and bleeding in the belly of a mountain. I had always been the last one to accomplish any task and now I would be the first to die. And no one would come to save me.

My ego had led me to believe I could find and catch an Onix in a small span of days which is why I told the League representatives I would only need a single week of expedition time. By this point, having greatly exceeded my expected return date by weeks, it was likely everyone believed me to be dead. And having burned through my supplies of food and water, I soon would be.

I smeared the dirt on my face into a muddy mess while attempting to wipe away the tears, now flowing freely, before stopping. A low pulsing red light was shining into the tunnel, creating barely enough light to see. It was so dim the beams from my flashlight had completely overpowered it.

I scrambled, running from side to side in a desperate attempt to find the source. My foot hit a rock and my momentum flung me to the ground where I barely caught myself only to end up scraping the skin off my palms and knees. Squeezing my eyes shut in pain, I slowly curled into a more comfortable position. I reached to try and rub the grit from my knees before stopping, realizing that my hands were probably equally covered in grime.

I opened his eyes to inspect the wounds and stopped, spotting the source of the red light. It poured from a small gap at the base of the wall at an angle impossible to see from any other perspective. I crawled forward, ignoring the pain in my fresh wounds, too enthralled by the possibilities of the source of light.

The gap was barely wide enough for me to squeeze through and I had to remove my backpack in order to fit. I quickly dug a thin rope from a pouch and tied one end to the pack, the other to his right ankle so I could retrieve my supplies after passing through the narrow space.

With barely enough room to breathe deeply, I continued. Fear of the mountain shifting, crushing the life out of my broken body gripped me and I increased my pace, trying to avoid hyperventilating. I shut my eyes and crawled, desperately trying to focus only on the motions and not the walls of the passageway pressing against my body. Eventually, after what felt like eternity, I felt a rush of air around my face and slowed, snapping open my eyes, searching. I realized that if anything were to attack I may not be able to withdraw.

Before me lay an immense cave of glittering red gems that slowly pulsed with their own light, filling the cavern with a red hue which was reflected by a small glassy lake in the middle of the chamber. For several heartbeats I could do nothing but stare at the rhythmic blinking. I looked closely, inhaling sharply as I realized the lights beneath the surface of the water were not reflections. I could see hundreds of glowing red gems slowly moving around in the lake with no defined pattern.

A tightness in my chest and pain in my back reminded me of my current predicament and I carefully extracted myself from the vein. Now able to turn my head, I looked up and was awestruck by the magnitude of the immense hole in the ceiling of the cavern. I eyed it, approximating it to be the same dimensions as the lake, stretching high enough that the red light did not reveal an end. For all I knew the tunnel could open up to the sky itself, it was impossible to tell until morning as the blackness of the night sky looked the same as a dark cave.

I released Poliwag into my arms so that its unstable legs would not cause it to stumble on the uneven surface of the cavern floor. I slowly approached the lake, hoping that I could get close enough to submerge Poliwag into the water, allowing my companion to heal its wounds. Above all else I needed my starter to be at full health, giving us the glimmer of a chance we could make it out of the mountain alive. I knelt at the water's edge and reached out, dipping my partner into the water. It let out a soft sigh of relief as its tail touched the surface, sending a ripple out into the lake. I slowly loosened my grip and Poliwag contentedly slipped into the water, watching as the water washed away its wounds.

The pulsing of light intensified and I found myself unable to move, frozen in place as dozens of lights swam upward toward Poliwag. They swirled around it, beams of light racing from the gems and intersecting with the intruding Pokemon, spreading an aura of energy around it and lifting it from the water.

From this distance I could easily make out the wielders of the gems: Staryu. A Pokemon of unknown origin, which had baffled and frustrated breeders for generations. No one knew where the nests for the star shaped monsters existed, and no mating habits had ever been observed. Realization dawned on me as I looked around the room, the details picked up by my subconscious mind bubbling to the surface.

The Clefairy of Mt. Moon were frequently associated with some unknown object from the sky called the moon, and over the years researchers had uncovered documentation about things called shooting stars which were also said to fall from the sky. And, for unknown reasons, Staryu had also been called "Starfish" by the first Pokemon researchers. Maybe their home had fallen from the sky along with the Clefairy? Compared to other phenomenon recorded in the Pokemon world, a species who grew from the fragments of a fallen star in the belly of a mountain seemed plausible.

It was too much to take in now, I snapped back to focus on the events around me. A steady glow of red light emanated from the depths of the lake. I looked at the Staryu as they carefully levitated Poliwag out of the water and set it on the shore beside me.

The aura of energy disappeared and Poliwag rushed to put itself between me and the Staryu. They ignored him, ceased their swirling and began to swarm around me. Still froze by their power I could do nothing but watch in horrified fascination as hundreds of the monsters rose from the lake, floated near me, and stopped.

The light from the gems in the center of their being pulsed in perfect synchrony. When my vision was blotted out by their sheer mass I felt the psychic power shell around me relent. I fell to my knees, ignoring the pain and put my head to the ground. I reached out my hands, palms upward, and did my best to wordlessly communicate that I was sorry for trespassing on their sacred ground.

A weight rested upon my head and a numbness radiated out from its touch. I felt my mind become blank against my will. For what seemed like an eternity the force filled my skull, driving out all other thought. I blinked, feeling drained as the weight lifted and my thoughts were once again my own.

Hearing a splashing I sat up and opened my eyes, watching as the horde of Staryu slipped back below the surface of the lake, leaving one member of their kind behind. It floated in the air before me, unmoving. I reached out a hand and it floated forward until my fingertips rested on the surface of its gem. Upon my touch the pulsing ceased and the gem glowed brighter. "Pulsar", I spoke, my mouth working of its own accord. The words sounded strange and void of emotion coming from my lips. "I will join you in your quest." I said again, and then my voice was once again my own to command.

"You are certainly welcome!" and for the first time in weeks, I smiled.

(o)|/-\|(o)

After the adrenaline fueling me through my experience with the Staryu nest, I nearly instantly collapsed into a deep sleep. I awoke to the blinding light of day pouring into the cavern in the surface and reflecting off of the thousands of glittering gems in the cave. Poliwag lay beside me, his tail curled around him. Pulsar floated on the surface of the water nearby, seemingly at rest.

I wanted to spend months in this place documenting every facet of the Staryu nest and the formation of this cave, but my supplies wouldn't hold up for more than a few days. With Staryu and Poliwag at full health there was a chance I could make it out of the caves if I rationed carefully and spent more time walking than resting.

But more importantly I needed to know if my theories about the formation of the tunnels was correct. For the Staryu to maintain such a large space without encountering an Onix would indicate the large creatures had never lived in this area. Since they had previously displayed the capacity for communication, I hoped it would be possible for them to confirm or deny the presence of Onix.

So I spoke with Pulsar at length, detailing my thoughts. It made no indication it understood me, let alone had ideas about the theory. I even tried showing it the entry for Onix in my Pokedex as a final attempt to communicate with the otherworldly being.

Eventually, I realized I needed to move on. I was burning valuable time and had to begin my return journey. I also started to feel the need to relieve myself and refused to soil the Staryus' home. I returned Poliwag to its Pokeball and waved to Pulsar, indicating we should go. The Staryu remained in its place. I started to move toward the entrance in the hopes it would follow.

Pulsar flew in my path at a speed I didn't know it possessed. I stopped, then tried to step around it where once again Pulsar blocked my movements.

"I have to leave," I tried explaining, "I need to forage for food." The Staryu remained unmoving, continuing to fend off any attempt to pass. After a few attempts I stopped, failing to refrain from sounding exasperated as I asked, "Ok, which way do you want me to go?"

Immediately the Pokemon circled around me and began floating toward the lake. I followed as it led me around the water's edge to the far side of the cavern where a small tunnel in the rock face angled sharply downward.

I stared into Pulsar's glowing gem for a moment. I moved toward the tunnel and, unobstructed, started lowering myself into the hole. A beam of light shot out from Staryu and surrounded me, lifting me from the floor of the cave. In a flash I was hurtling downward at unimaginable speeds, rocketing deep below the mountain. I was unable to scream as the tunnel sped past, trapped within the psychic barrier. Then, as quickly as it had begun, it was over. I was deposited onto the floor of a tiny room surrounded by boulders.

Claustrophobia immediately set in as I fumbled for my flashlight, Pulsar's aura still radiating from the tunnel above was not enough to fill the new cavern. I clicked on the light and looked around, my brain struggling to interpret the scene around me. I looked at the odd linearly increasing size of the boulders surrounding me until I reached the largest stone in the segment. The immense rocky crest rising from its center marked it as the head of the largest Onix I had ever seen. I estimated it to be at least 40 feet long, nearly twice the average size for its species. Its body had been worn down to a polished black color, no sign of the rugged exterior typical of an Onix.

Without realizing the foolishness in my actions, breaking every habit Garry had ever instilled inside me, I stepped forward and placed a hand on the sleeping monster's head. The creature seemed too still, and I had to see if it was carved from stone or a living thing.

With an immense rumbling, the creature began to move. Its gigantic eyes snapped open, pupils dilating in the light. It coiled, quickly closing the spaces between its body in an attempt to crush me. I released Poliwag in a last ditch attempt to save myself, immediately realizing the fatality of my actions. Flanked by Staryu and Poliwag, the my mind raced as I tried to find a way to resolve the conflict quickly. Poliwag let loose a cry of desperation and I reached to press the button that would return him, saving him from certain death.

Before I could act, the rumbling in the cavern ceased. Onix halted its constriction and turned its colossal head towards us, observing us with one of its giant eyes. It rumbled, the sound coming from deep within resounding like an avalanche. It moved closer and gently rested its head on the ground at my feet, allowing Poliwag to step forward and carefully touch it with its tail. I paused for a moment before deploying a Pokeball and gently tapping it to the beast's forehead. The orb snapped open, red light pouring from its interior and filling the room, surrounding Onix and drawing it inside the storage device. The ball clicked shut without any resistance.

"Thank you," I spoke softly, reaching out to touch the face of Pulsar's gem. Its light grew brighter for a moment before expanding to cover both Poliwag and myself, lifting us from the ground and rapidly levitating them from the deepest part of Mt. Moon to its entrance within seconds. Standing in the blinding light of day, I smiled as my eyes slowly adjusted. I reveled in the warmth from the sun and silently praised the Legendaries for this miraculous escape. The thought of a warm bed, a hot meal, and a steaming shower spurred me to take off at a jog toward Pewter.


End file.
